[titleist1]

Helped my FIL get the deck back on his 2182 after taking off the snow blower. He had picked up new blades and put them on the deck last week.

The 2182 fired up fine (love that 3cyl kubota) but the blades would not activate when the PTO was on. The PTO would spin, but the pulley for the center blade would not turn at all.

I determined that if the nut on the center blade spindle was loosened the pulley turns fine. If the center blade nut is tightened then the spindle is locked in place. Loosen it and the blade will not turn with the spindle. The other two blades are fine, nuts on each are nice and tight.

I took one of the side blades off and also took off the spindle cup. The only difference I see between the middle and one side spindle is the height of the 'shoulder' that surrounds the threaded spindle and that the cup sits on. The center spindle has about 1/8" and the side spindle has about 1/4". Is this shorter shoulder height causing the blade to clamp down that spindle or am I going the wrong direction?

Here is a pic of the center spindle with the cup removed so you can see the 'shoulder' height.